


Elsa and the Sky-Walker

by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: AU, Dragons, Magic, evil sorcerers, gods in disguise, references to mythology, trickery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-17
Updated: 2014-01-18
Packaged: 2018-01-09 01:25:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1139794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel/pseuds/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things go differently after Elsa's coronation. The celebrations are interrupted by a sinister sorcerer, claiming to be Elsa's uncle and the rightful king of Arendelle. When he kidnaps Anna, Elsa sets after him, with only a strange, enigmatic man as her guide. Will Elsa's magic - her curse - be enough to rescue her sister before it's too late?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Elsa had to admit, as she surveyed the crowds attending her coronation celebrations, that it was nice to have people around. The atmosphere was light and festive, people talking and laughing with one another, while in the centre of the room various couples danced. It was nothing like the quiet emptiness that Elsa was used to seeing within the castle, but it was... pleasant.

She felt nervous, of course – Elsa always felt nervous when other people were around, for fear they might discover her secret – but in spite of her lingering nerves, she was relatively relaxed. Her powers had settled a little, and right now they were behaving just as they ought to be.

Elsa glanced at her sister, to see that Anna was fidgeting a little, watching the assembled crowds with interest. The light-hearted atmosphere was contagious, and on a sudden whim Elsa greeted her sister.

“Hi,” she told Anna. Anna sent her a startled look, and glanced around, as though she expected Elsa to be talking to someone else.

“Hi me?” Anna asked, blinking and gesturing at herself. Elsa only smiled at her. “Oh. Um. Hi.”

“You look beautiful,” Elsa told her, because it was true. In her dress with its various shades of green, and her coppery hair styled elegantly around her head, Anna looked grown-up and lovely. 

“Thank you. You look beautifuller,” Anna replied, and a look of consternation crossed her face. “I mean, not fuller, you don’t look fuller, but more beautiful.” 

Elsa smiled in indulgent amusement as Anna stumbled over her awkward explanation. It was nice to be talking to her sister for a change, instead of hiding away. Just once, it was nice to be able to pretend that she was just an ordinary person, who could enjoy the night like everyone else. She couldn’t keep up such a pretence for long, of course, but surely she could manage it for just one night. After all, the rest of today had gone just fine, even the coronation ceremony that Elsa had so dreaded. All she had to handle now was dealing with everyone who wanted to speak to the new queen, and she didn’t anticipate any problems, not when everyone was so polite.

“Thank you,” Elsa said, when Anna finished. There was a slightly awkward silence as neither of them knew what to say to the other, and they looked out at the people in front of them.

“So this is what a party looks like,” Elsa mused. Anna beamed, and latched onto the scrap of conversation.

“It’s warmer than I thought,” she said, smiling.

“And what is that amazing smell?” Elsa asked, sniffing. She closed her eyes, savouring it. “Mmm, _chocolate,_ ” she sighed, and heard her words echoed by Anna. Both of them laughed as they opened their eyes, amused that they’d both had the same reaction.

It was nice, Elsa thought. She looked back out at the party again, marvelling at the beauty and liveliness of everything. It was so different to how things usually were that she couldn’t stop wondering at it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a formal announcement.

“Your Majesty, the Duke of Weaseltown,” the herald announced, as the elderly man made his way towards her and Anna.

“Wesselton! The Duke of Wesselton!” the Duke snapped, and strode forward. “Your Majesty,” he addressed Elsa, “as your closest partner in trade, it seems only fitting that I offer you your first dance as queen.”

Elsa hadn’t thought of dancing, and managed to cover her alarm at the thought. Dancing would mean touching, and even with the gloves, the risk…

The Duke fell into a bow, and his toupee hung loose. Anna promptly clapped her hands over her mouth in order not to laugh, and Elsa had to stifle a giggle of her own.

“Thank you,” Elsa said politely, trying not to show her mirth, “but I don’t dance.”

The Duke started to look offended, so Elsa quickly added, “But my sister does.”

“Wait, what?” Anna began, but the Duke was already pulled Anna out onto the dance floor.

“If you swoon, let me know, I’ll catch you,” he said jovially. Anna cast Elsa a desperatel glance, and Elsa winced a little in sympathy, even as she smiled in amusement. “Sorry,” she said, hoping Anna saw her say it.

What followed was a ridiculous sight, as the Duke attempted to show off dancing skills he didn’t possess and Anna stumbled through the dance steps as she was unexpectedly dipped, twirled, and had her feet trodden on. Some of the nearby bystanders were grinning and laughing.

Anna limped back a few minutes later, wincing.

“Well, he was sprightly,” Elsa remarked, very much amused.

“Especially for a man in heels,” Anna grumbled, rubbing her bruised feet.

“Are you okay?” While Elsa had found the sight funny, she hoped that Anna wasn’t genuinely hurt.

But Anna smiled, straightening.

“I’ve never been better,” she said openly. “This is so nice. I wish it could be like this all the time.”

“Me too,” Elsa agreed, but her smile faded as she thought of the possible consequences of the castle being full of people every day. People everywhere, all of the time, and if Elsa made one wrong move, if her powers got at all out of control… “But it can’t.”

“Why not?” Anna asked, and Elsa’s power started to stir. “If–”

“It just can’t.” Elsa turned away from her sister and tried to calm herself, to will her powers to settle again. _Conceal, don’t feel,_ she chanted in her head.

Anna’s smile vanished, and she looked hurt.

“Excuse me for a minute,” she said shortly, and Elsa watched her go, feeling unhappy and helpless.

After that Elsa’s powers refused to settled down again, roiling just below the surface. Elsa felt guilty about what shutting up the castle meant for Anna, of course she did, but what could she do? The only alternative was to let everyone know the truth, and that wasn’t an option. Elsa had only been a little girl when her parents had taken Anna to see the trolls to be healed, but she still remembered the vision that had played out before her eyes: mobs, with torches and pitchforks, descending on her in fear and hatred. 

No. Letting people find out wasn’t an option. Anna just had to deal with the situation.

The Spanish ambassador came forward to introduce himself, and Elsa found herself making polite small talk with him, the two of them dancing around the possibility of opening trade negotiations.

The ambassador was hinting at how rich trade negotiations could make the country when the doors to the ballroom slammed open. Everyone turned to look.

There was a man standing in the doorway, dressed in black robes, and holding a staff. Elsa saw that he was wearing an unpleasant smile, and her feelings of foreboding doubled.

“Who is _that?_ ” Elsa heard Anna ask, somewhere in the crowd. The man with the staff turned his head, looking for the source of the voice.

“Well, isn’t this a pretty little gathering,” he said conversationally, walking forward. People drew back out of his way, leaving him with a clear to path to Anna, who stared at him in confusion.

“Anna, _move,_ ” Elsa murmured under her breath. Her magic spiked, and ice started to form where she was standing. But Elsa didn’t notice, too worried about what was about to happen.

The sorcerer – because Elsa was certain that he couldn’t be anything else – paused, and smiled down at Anna, the expression more of a smirk.

“And you must be Anna,” he cooed, pinching her chin. Anna leaned back out his grasp, her eyes narrowing in annoyance, and his smile broadened.

“That’s Princess Anna, to you,” Anna shot back, and Elsa clenched her fists in anxiety, willing Anna not to antagonise the man. “Who are you, anyway?”

Elsa decided that it was time to intervene, and stepped forward towards the edge of the dais.

“I agree,” she called out, her voice carrying through the quiet room. “Who are you, and what business do you have in Arendelle?”

The sorcerer tutted, turning to face her across the ballroom. Again, people hurried out of his way, watching him in wariness and fear.

“Queen Elsa,” he said, and sketched a bow with an air of mockery. “Is that any way to greet your uncle?”

“My… uncle?” Elsa repeated. She exchanged a glance of confusion with Anna. Their parents had never mentioned an uncle to them, before.

“So you don’t know?” The sorcerer tilted his head. “Well, I suppose it’s not surprising. I _was_ exiled, after all. I suppose your father didn’t want to tell you all about his sorcerer brother who was kicked out for the good of the country.” The sorcerer ended his words with a bitter sneer, and muttered under his breath, “Out of prejudice and fear, more like.”

In the quiet of the ballroom, however, everyone still heard him.

In spite of herself, Elsa started forward, down the steps towards him.

“You’re a sorcerer? You can do magic?” Although he didn’t seem like a very nice person, Elsa couldn’t help the feeling of hope rising in her heart. Perhaps he could teach her how to control her own magic? “And you’re my uncle?”

“Indeed.” The sorcerer leant on his staff, and regarded her keenly. “You seem more open to the concept of magic than your father.”

Elsa drew herself up, eyes narrowing at the implicit insult.

“My father was a good man,” she said, knowing it to be true. “But I am curious to know more of a relative of whom I have heard nothing.”

“Sorcery!” hissed the Duke of Wesselton, but Elsa ignored him. The sorcerer only flicked the Duke a contemptuous glance, that sent him cowering back.

“Then allow me to introduce myself,” the sorcerer announced. “I am Aleksander, _formerly_ of Arendelle,  and it’s _rightful king._ ”

“On what grounds do you claim such a thing?” Elsa asked, watching him carefully.

Aleksander’s eyes darkened with rage, and Elsa realised that her misgivings had been accurate.

“ _I_ was the older son!” he roared, and flames leaped up around him. There were screams from the assembled guests, who shrank back away from him. “ _I_ should have been king! Instead, Mother and Father chose my perfect, ordinary little brother, while _I_ was thrown out into the snow and the cold with nothing!” He curled a fist over his heart, and flames licked around the edges of it, dark and sinister. “But no more! You will surrender your throne to _me_ , Elsa of Arendelle, and I shall take my rightful place!”

“And if I do not?” 

Aleksander smirked.

“Then your sister dies.”

Anna and Elsa both recoiled.

“What? Wait, hold up–” Anna began.

“Anna–” Elsa put out a hand to warn her sister, but too late. Aleksander grabbed Anna’s arm and pulled her close, ignoring her struggles.

“Hey! Let me go, you crazy person!” Anna yelled, and tried to kick him in the shins.

“ _Let her go!_ ” Elsa shouted, running forwards, holding her skirts in one hand.

“You have one day to concede the throne to me. Send word to the Castle in the Clouds,” said Aleksander, and vanished. Anna vanished with him, still caught in his grasp.

“ _No!_ ” Elsa cried out, her hand still outstretched, but it was no use. Aleksander and her sister were gone.

Elsa sank to her knees in despair, unable to process anything except the fact that her sister was gone. Anna, her beloved baby sister, who she’d spent so much time trying to keep safe… but been taken by a magical madman with delusions of grandeur.

Her breath hitched on a sob, and Elsa realised that she was surrounded by concerned people, asking her if she was okay.

“Leave her alone, okay? Give her some space, let her breathe, she’s just had a terrible shock,” a voice was saying, and Elsa glanced up to see an unfamiliar man with fiery red hair shooing the other guests away from her.

Elsa tried to stand, and the man quickly offered her his arm, helping her to her feet.

“Your Majesty, are you alright?” he asked solicitously, and Elsa began to nod automatically, before she caught herself.

“No. No, I am not,” she found herself saying, her voice rising in anger. “My sister has been _taken_ by a mad sorcerer!”

The stranger winced.

“Yeah. There’s that.”

“What will I do?” Elsa asked herself aloud, wringing her hands. “I don’t even know where the Castle in the Clouds is, and even if I could find my way there…”

“I could show you,” offered the man by her side. Elsa sent him a startled look, and he shrugged. “Hey, I like to travel. The Castle in the Clouds? It’s not a nice place, but I can guide you there, if you want to go after him.”

Elsa instinctively clutched her hands to her chest.

“I can’t,” she said. “I can’t leave the castle, I can’t…” Ice started to form at the edges of her shoes.

“Whoa, breathe,” said the man standing beside her, and patted her on the shoulder. Elsa was so surprised by this that her panicked thoughts were interrupted, and she stared at him.

“You touched me,” she said wonderingly. Someone had just touched her shoulder, and hadn’t been affected at all!

“You seemed to be freaking out a little,” he offered apologetically. “And no offence, but that won’t do any good for anyone.”

“You’re right.” Elsa took a deep breath, and straightened her shoulders, reminding herself that she was queen. She should be setting an example, not standing here hyperventilating. “You’re right. Thank you.” She realised that he hadn’t introduced himself. “I’m sorry, but who are you?”

The man smiled self-deprecatingly.

“My name is Lukas, your Majesty,” he told her. “I am known as a traveller, and between you and me, I know a thing or two about magic. Hard not to, when you’ve seen as much as I have. So I can help you with this sorcerer, if you wish.”

“You know about magic?” Elsa repeated. Lukas shrugged.

“A little.”

“And you’re a traveller.”

“Some people call me the Sky Traveller, or Sky Walker,” he responded modestly. The titles sent a little tingle of recognition through Elsa’s mind, although she couldn’t pin down why. The names seemed familiar, somehow, but she couldn’t recall any details. 

“And you’re willing to help me get Anna back?” Elsa demanded. Lukas nodded.

“Then thank you, Lukas,” Elsa said formally. “I accept your offer of help.”

Elsa turned back to the rest of the room. Several people were still panicking over the sorcerer’s visit, while the rest were talking agitatedly. Elsa looked around for her herald, and gestured for him to come forward.

“Your Majesty?” he questioned.

“I wish to address everyone,” Elsa told him. The herald immediately straightened, and spoke in a loud voice.

“Her Majesty Queen Elsa wishes to address you all!”

The room quietened, and people turned to face Elsa, where she stood in the middle of the room with Lukas still by her side.

“Everyone,” Elsa started. “I know that we have just been through a frightening experience, but I implore everyone to _stay calm._ ” There were still dismayed murmurs, but most people were listening. “This mad sorcerer has taken my sister, Princess Anna. I intend to get her back. In the meantime, the major-domo of the castle will attend to your needs. He will carry out my orders in the meantime, and everyone is to listen to him. Thank you.”

Elsa turned back to Lukas, ignoring the way the chatter started up again, some people shocked or alarmed by Elsa’s words.

“Do you need supplies, or a steed?” Elsa asked Lukas.

“Thank you, your Majesty, but I have everything I need for the journey,” Lukas replied.

“Then meet me in fifteen minutes, by the castle gates,” Elsa told him. He bowed.

“As you wish, your Majesty.”

Elsa turned and hurried from the room, already making mental preparations for what she would need to rescue her sister.

She didn’t notice the trail of icy footsteps that she left behind her. Lukas watched her go, and glanced down thoughtfully at the patches of ice.   
 


	2. Chapter 2

Fifteen minutes later and Elsa appeared at the castle gates leading her horse, dressed in warm clothes suitable for the upcoming journey. She didn’t feel the cold, but even now, she had to be careful not to do anything remarkable or strange that might catch people’s attention.

“Close the gates once we leave,” Elsa ordered her major-domo, and walked forward to where Lukas was already sitting astride his horse.

“Are you ready?” Elsa asked him.

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Then let us go.” Elsa mounted her horse, and gathering the reins, urged it out onto the roads beyond the castle. Lukas followed, and the gates were closed behind them.

For a while the two rode in silence, Elsa lost in her own thoughts, before Lukas spoke.

“So,” he said, looking over curiously. “I’m guessing you didn’t know you had a crazy uncle who’s a sorcerer, huh?”

Elsa shook her head.

“No, I had no idea. Anna didn’t, either. My parents never said anything.”

Elsa could see why. If she had known that her family had already _exiled_ one of their own for being magical, she would have grown up twice as afraid, scared that the same thing would happen to her. Her magic would have been even more difficult to control than it already was.

“Well, I guess it’s a difficult subject to bring up,” Lukas mused. He put on a hearty voice. “ _Hey kids, let me tell you about your uncle! Who, by the way, is a crazy sorcerer! Yeah, we exiled him, but don’t worry! That can’t possibly come back to bite us!_ ”

Elsa didn’t respond. Lukas tried a different tactic.

“Anyway,” he added, “excuse me if I’m treading on a delicate topic, but I’m guessing the magic thing runs in the family.”

Elsa glanced at him sharply.

“Excuse me?”

“You were pretty upset, in the ballroom,” Lukas said quietly. “I guess you didn’t notice that you were leaving ice behind you.”

Elsa clutched the reins tighter. She should laugh – scoff at the idea, call it ridiculous – _something_ – but her mind was blank, and the words she desperately groped for wouldn’t come.

“I – I’m not –”

“It’s okay,” said Lukas. “I’m not going to tell anyone. I just thought you should know that I know. No one else noticed, though, so it’s fine. Relax.”

“You – you’re going to keep my secret?” Elsa stammered. Lukas looked at her, and his eyes were surprisingly kind in his sharp, clever face.

“Why not? You’re not hurting anyone.”

“But I could,” Elsa burst out. “I _could_ hurt someone – I can’t control it, and it just keeps getting stronger, and I’ve hurt someone before–”

“Elsa,” Lukas said, calmly and very, very gently, “You need to calm down. You’re freezing your horse.”

Elsa let go of the reins with a horrified gasp. The horse started to rear back in a panic, but Lukas quickly leaned in and grabbed the abandoned, iced-over reins.

“Easy, boy,” he calmed the horse, patting its nose. “Elsa, you really need to calm down.”

Knowing that he was right, and still horrified at her slip, Elsa squeezed her eyes shut.

“Conceal. Don’t feel,” she chanted, trying to quell the rising swell of dread. “Conceal. Don’t feel.”

It wasn’t working, and Elsa could feel the ice starting to spread. Suddenly there was an arm around her, strong and warm, and Elsa was being held against a warm body. After a stiff, startled moment, Elsa felt herself relaxing, and when she did, it was easier to breathe. She felt her breath slowing, and the ice she’d conjured up slowly melted away.

Elsa opened her eyes again to see Lukas looking at her with a concerned frown.

“No one ever actually taught you anything about magic, did they?”

Elsa shook her head.

“They tried to teach me to control it, but –”

“Wait, wait, hold on,” Lukas interrupted. “That thing you were chanting – ‘conceal, don’t feel’ – _that’s_ what they taught you?”

Elsa nodded.

“Well, no wonder it doesn’t work,” Lukas remarked, letting Elsa go. She found herself wishing he’d held her a little longer, and was surprised at herself. “Of course you can’t stop feeling. Everyone feels. Any attempts at self-control based on feeling was bound to fail.”

“What do you know about it?” Elsa asked.

“Me? More than you do, obviously,” said Lukas, and she flinched, knowing that what he said was true. “Besides, the only way to control is through knowledge. You learn how to control something by knowing how to use it properly. Because by knowing how to use it, you learn how _not_ to use it, at the same time.”

“What?” Elsa was stunned at the idea. _Using_ her magic might actually help her gain control over it? That was the complete opposite of everything her mother and father had ever suggested. But then, they weren’t magical. Was it possible that Elsa had been going the wrong way about things, all this time?

“It’s like fencing,” Lukas continued, gesturing with one hand as though waving an imaginary sword. “You hand a sword to someone who’s never been trained, they might do all kinds of stupid things with it, and hurt themselves or others. But someone who’s been trained? They know exactly what to do to fence safely. Magic’s the same.”

“I never thought of it that way,” Elsa said. “But who could possibly have taught me? My parents were terrified that people might find out – I’m sure you know how people feel about sorcerers.”

Lukas gave her a swift wink.

“I have an idea,” he agreed, grinning a little, and Elsa narrowed her eyes at him.

“…you’re a sorcerer yourself, aren’t you?”

Lukas only laughed.

“You worked it out. Yeah, I’m a sorcerer. Good at it, too. So now that we know that we’re _both_ sorcerers, let’s talk about this honestly. Can we try that?”

“I suppose so,” Elsa agreed.

“Good. Then how do you feel, when your magic is out of control?”

Elsa thought. It was something she experienced so often that it was hard to find the words to explain.

“Panicked. Worried,” she said after a minute. “It usually happens when I’m upset – that’s why my parents always told me not to feel. I can control it the rest of the time, but when I get upset, my magic takes on a life of its own.”

“Which makes you more upset, which makes control even harder,” Lukas said understandingly. Elsa could only nod, stunned that he seemed to know exactly how her magic worked. “I thought so. Your magic seems to be rooted in your emotions, so the key to controlling them isn’t not to feel, it’s to focus on a different emotion when you start to get upset.”

“A different emotion?” Elsa repeated, feeling confused. Lukas nodded.

“Like happiness, or contentment, or love. In a lot of ways your magic is a direct reflection of your emotions, so when you feel confident and in control of yourself, it works, but when you start to lose your emotional control you lose control of your magic as well.”

“So if I can control what emotion I feel, then I can control my magic,” Elsa said in realisation.

“It’ll take practice, but it’s possible,” Lukas assured her.

“Thank you.” Elsa sent him a heartfelt glance. “No one’s ever… no one’s ever really be able to explain to me how my magic works. Or understand what it’s like.”

“Well, I’m glad I could help.” Lukas sent her a mischievous look. “Always good to have a little more sorcery in the world, don’t you think? Shakes things up a little.” 

He winked, and Elsa found herself smiling. Her smile faded, though, as she thought of Anna’s plight.

“Do you think my magic will be enough to save Anna?” she asked Lukas. His face grew serious.

“I think so,” he agreed. “Your power over ice should be enough to put out his flames, as long as you keep control. He doesn’t seem to have as much magic as you do.”

“You can tell?” Elsa was surprised. She hadn’t even been able to sense Aleksander’s magic.

“It’s a knack,” Lukas said dismissively. He glanced up at the sky. “It looks like we’re about to get a storm, so we should probably bunk down for the night.”

“But Anna,” Elsa started.

“Will get no help from us if we’re tired and exhausted,” Lukas said sternly, halting his horse. “We’ve been riding for hours. The horses probably need some rest too, at this point.”

“But we don’t have a tent,” Elsa said in dismay, realising that she should have had one packed on her horse. Lukas raised an eyebrow.

“ _You_ don’t have a tent,” he drawled. “Me? I’m going to sleep just fine.”

Elsa glared at him.

“You’re going to leave me to sleep in the cold?”

“Does the cold bother you?” Lukas raised the other eyebrow as well.

“Well, no,” Elsa had to admit. 

“Then you’ll be fine.”

Elsa dismounted her horse, and watched as Lukas set up his tent. It seemed surprisingly difficult, but he did it with practiced ease.

“Your nickname seems familiar,” she told him, as he pulled food out of one of the bundles attached to his horse’s harness.

“I’m sorry?”

“Sky Walker,” Elsa mused. “It seems familiar, but I can’t think why.”

Lukas gave her an impish look.

“Oh, I’m sure it’ll come to you.”

Elsa looked at him suspiciously, but Lukas' expression was placidly innocent.

“Anyway,” Lukas said, through a mouthful of food, “I’m going to go to sleep. I’ve got a spare blanket if your horse needs one – it’s cold out tonight.”

“My _horse?_ ” Elsa repeated, insulted – but Lukas had already climbed into his tent, and shut the flap.

Elsa sighed, and tried to find a comfortable spot in the snow where she could sleep. 

Lukas’ horse whickered in what sounded like amusement. Elsa glared at it, and closed her eyes.

Within a short time, she was asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

When Elsa woke, she was buried in snow, and there was a horse huddled on either side of her.

It was surprisingly warm; the cocoon of snow kept out the cold air and held in the warm air generated by their bodies. But warm or not, Elsa was _not_ inclined to sleep with horses, and with a gasp, she fought to extricate herself from the blanket of snow.

There was a burst of laughter as she dug her way out, and Elsa looked up to see Lukas watching her from the open flap of his tent. Elsa glared at him, and he only laughed harder, high-pitched giggles that would have been endearing if they weren’t at Elsa’s expense.

Maybe she should have had more dignity as queen, but Elsa threw a snowball at him.

Lukas spluttered, caught by surprise, but started laughing again when he realised what had happened.

Behind Elsa Lukas’ horse clambered out of the snow, Elsa’s horse doing the same. Elsa caught her horse’s reins, and went through her pack for some breakfast her herself and a carrot for the horse. The horse inhaled the entire carrot in one go, and Elsa patted it on the neck.

“Sleep well?” Lukas asked, grinning. Elsa decided to behave as though nothing embarrassing had happened.

“Yes, thank you,” she responded with dignity. “How far are we from the Castle in the Clouds?”

Lukas paused to consider.

“About half a day’s ride,” he said thoughtfully.

“So we should get there before he returns to Arendelle,” Elsa said hopefully. 

“If everything goes well,” Lukas agreed. “But I have to warn you, the mountains that hold the Castle in the Clouds are full of danger.”

“What kind of danger?” Elsa asked.

“Well, the mountains themselves are pretty treacherous, for one,” said Lukas, counting reasons off on his fingers. “Two, the cave systems are full of _svartalfr,_ who can bit a bit nasty at times, so we want to avoid them. And three? There’s the dragons.”

“ _Dragons?_ ” Elsa yelped in horror. “We have to face _dragons?_ ” The snow at her feet thickened.

“Maybe,” said Lukas. “I mean, hopefully not, but, well, wyrms _are_ known to live in the mountains.”   

He left his tent and started to dismantle it. Once he had it rolled up again his horse obediently trotted over at his whistle, and stood docilely as he tied the tent to the pack on its back.

“You’re a good boy, aren’t you,” Lukas told the horse fondly. “Hey, you want an apple?”

The horse pricked up its ears in interest, leaning forward, and Lukas laughed again. He went digging through his pack, and pulled out an apple with skin the colour of fresh butter. Elsa stared.

“Your apple is yellow,” she stated, as Loki offered it to the horse.

“That it is.”

“Where did it come from?” Elsa wanted to know. She’d never seen a yellow apple before.

“A land quite distant from here. I told you, I’m a traveller,” said Lukas easily, and Elsa wasn’t sure why, but something in his manner made her sure that he wasn’t quite telling the truth.

“Hmm,” was all that Elsa said in reply. She watched him for a moment, but Lukas only patted his horse affectionately, so Elsa decided to let the matter go. After all, how important could an apple be?

The pair continued their journey straight after breakfast, up into the mountains. After a while the air began to grow thinner, and the horses had more and more difficulty walking up the high slopes. After a while Lukas pulled his horse to a halt, and Elsa did the same.

“We should walk the rest of the way,” he told Elsa, dismounting from his horse. “This is where it starts to get really difficult for anything on four legs.” Lukas’ horse let out a snort, and Lukas said, “I know, buddy, you’re the best horse there is, but even you’re going to have some trouble. I need you to stay behind and look after your new pal here.”

“Does your horse actually understand you?” Elsa asked, raising an eyebrow. Lukas looked haughty.

“He understands me just fine, don’t you, boy?” The horse whinnied, as though in agreement, and Elsa couldn’t help a small smile. Loki started un-strapping his pack so that he could carry it himself, and Elsa did the same.

“If I’m not back soon, go find one of your brothers,” Lukas told his horse, and the horse whickered softly. Lukas gave it one last pat, and began heading up the mountains on foot. Elsa followed.

“You know,” Lukas said casually, “This would be a good time to practice your magic.”

Elsa hesitated.

“I don’t know…”

“Go on.” Lukas gave her a kind look. “You won’t hurt me – I’m a sorcerer too, remember? And there’s no one else for miles. No one’s going to see you, or get hurt.”

Elsa was still hesitant, despite Lukas’ encouragement. She’d never forgotten that horrible moment when she’d feared she’d accidentally killed her sister, and even now, alone with a fellow sorcerer, it was hard to shake off all the years of fear and hiding. But if practice was the only way to get control of her magic, then when better to practice than now? Elsa removed her gloves, and tucked them into her cloak.

Slowly at first, Elsa began to concentrate on her magic, pulling it to the surface. It surged up easily, and Elsa began conjuring small snowflakes. Nothing went wrong; everything went exactly as it was supposed to. Emboldened, Elsa decided to go for something a little harder: a snowman, like the ones she used to build with Anna as a child. It took no effort at all.

Elsa began making ice designs in the air as she walked, delicate, pretty things that shone for a moment before they blew away in the breeze.

Elsa realised that she was smiling widely.

“Nice work,” Lukas commented. “Want to try something a little more difficult?”

“Like what?” Elsa wanted to know. Lukas shrugged.

“It’s your magic. Think of something.”

So Elsa thought as she walked, before finally she had an idea. Grinning, she pulled her hands back, and gestured. As she pushed her hands forward, the ice and snow in front of them reshaped itself into a set of stairs that led up the mountain.

“That _is_ useful,” Lukas said appreciatively, and started to climb the stairs. Elsa joined him. 

After that, there was no stopping Elsa. She hadn’t had the chance to use her magic as she wanted before, not since she was a little girl. It was amazing how free she felt, working with her magic instead of against it for once.

Suddenly Lukas grabbed her wrist.

“Stop.” His voice was tense, and he was scanning the sky. Elsa glanced up, and saw what he saw: a small shape, far above, rapidly becoming bigger.

“Dragon,” said Lukas tersely. “Run!”

He grabbed Elsa’s hand and began to run up the stairs. Above them the dragon continued its descent, heading straight for them.

“Elsa, get ready to use your magic!” Lukas cried out.

“What? But I can’t control it!” Elsa exclaimed. 

“You were controlling it just fine a moment ago!” Lukas bawled back. He came to a stop, and Elsa was forced to stop with him. She glanced over her shoulder to see the dragon swooping low towards them. “ _Now!_ ” Lukas yelled.

The dragon opened its mouth.

Elsa acted on instinct. Her magic surged forwards, and an icy shield formed just in time to stop the gout of flame that launched from the dragon’s mouth. The shield melted around the edges as the fire burned, but Elsa’s magic replenished it so that despite the heat, the shield remained intact.

With an angry bellow the dragon rose back into the air.

“What’s it doing?” Elsa panted. Maintaining the shield against the intense heat had been tiring.

“Circling around and coming back in for another go,” Lukas responded, grabbing hold of Elsa’s hand again. They began running up the stairs a second time. “If we can make it to the cloud cover before it comes back, it probably won’t come after us.”

“Probably?” Elsa echoed.

“Dragons, what can you do,” Lukas said, as they sprinted for the clouds further up the mountain.

A shadow appeared over them, and Elsa glanced back to see the dragon approaching.

“Faster!” Elsa shouted. Somehow she and Lukas managed to put on more speed, and made the cloud cover just in time.

There was more infuriated bellowing from the dragon, but after a few minutes the sound died away, and they were left standing in silence and damp cloud.

“Is it gone?” Elsa whispered.

“I think so,” Lukas said, in a normal voice. Elsa realised that she was still holding his hand, and let go.

“Now what?”

“Up through the clouds,” Lukas said cheerfully. Now that the dragon was gone, he seemed perfectly assured. “Come on. Not far too go now.”

So onwards they went, up through the clouds. It was difficult to see anything, and the air was terribly thin, but the worse part was the dampness. The very air was wet, and water clung to Elsa’s clothes and skin, and dripped off the ends of her hair. After a while Elsa let her magic loose so that the water droplets formed frost, but it was only a slight improvement. Eventually, however, Elsa and Lukas rose above the clouds, and that was when Elsa saw the castle.

It was black and towering, and appeared sinister indeed. Its towers rose in jagged spires, like claws against the pale grey sky, an imposing black parasite on the mountain’s top. Elsa felt her courage falter for a moment, before she thought of Anna.

Anna needed her. Elsa could do this, for Anna. Her courage renewed, Elsa turned to Lukas with a resolute look. 

“How do we get into the castle?”

“It should be easy enough to get in. Getting out again is the hard part,” Lukas said, rather ominously.

“Great,” Elsa sighed. With a deep breath, she began walking up the slope towards the castle.

It was even more daunting up close, but Elsa took courage from her magic and Lukas presence. She walked inside.

“Elsa!”

At the shout, Elsa spun around to see Anna sitting tied to a chair carved from black stone, at the other end of the great hall. Anna looked tired, and frightened, but otherwise she seemed fine. Elsa broke into a run.

Halfway there, fire suddenly flared and rose towards the vast vaulted ceiling. Elsa skidded to a stop. When the flames died down again, Aleksander was standing between Elsa and Anna.

“Let Anna go,” Elsa ordered. Aleksander laughed.

“You seek to challenge me here? In my own halls? You are braver than I thought, _Queen_ Elsa.” The sneered emphasis on her title turned it into an insult. “But let it not be said that I don’t rise to a challenge.”

Aleksander’s mouth curved into a wolfish smile, and Elsa readied herself.

“Let us see how you deal with a fully-fledged sorcerer, then, Elsa.”

“No! Leave my sister alone!” Anna yelled, struggling to get free.

A blast of flame shot towards Elsa and she threw out a hand, freezing it to nothing before it could reach her. There was an astonished silence. Aleksander and Anna both stared.

“What…? How can this be?” Aleksander breathed. “You… you too are a _sorcerer?_ ”

Elsa tilted her chin up and held her head up high. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Lukas sidling around the edges of the hall, slowly making his way to where Anna was captive.

“I am.”

Aleksander’s face contorted in a snarl, and he flung more fire in Elsa’s direction. Elsa countered it all with her powers, cooling the flames before they could reach her. Aleksander yelled in rage, and pushing his cloak aside, drew his sword.

Elsa’s eyes widened as he charged at her. Ducking sideways, she conjured her own weapon at the last minute, a glittering sword made entirely of ice. Holding the sword in both hands, she thrust it upwards as Aleksander raised his own sword for a killing strike.

There was a choked gurgle, and Aleksander staggered, then fell to his knees. Red bloomed where Elsa’s sword protruded from his chest.

“No,” he choked, “I was… promised!”

Laughter rang out through the hall, bright and full of mischief, and Elsa realised that it was coming from Lukas. She looked around to see him strolling over, Anna running along in front of him.

“Elsa!” Anna shrieked, and threw herself into Elsa’s startled arms. “Are you okay?! Why didn’t you _tell_ me you were a sorcerer?”

Elsa hugged Anna back, marvelling at the fact that here she was, hugging her sister for the first time in years. Elsa wasn't even wearing her gloves, but Anna wasn't affected by her magic at all. Everything was fine.

Well, almost.

Elsa let Anna go and turned to look at Aleksander. Anna looked over as well.

Aleksander was sprawled on the floor, staring at Lukas and making gasping sounds. And Lukas was standing there, looking down at him with a smug, cruel smile.

“T…trickster!” Aleksander managed. “You promised!”

Lukas threw back his head and laughed again, the same merry, mischievous laughter. He squatted down next to Aleksander, so that they were on a similar level.

“Mmm, I did make a promise,” Lukas agreed. “But do you remember what that promise was, Aleksander?”

Aleksander stared in confusion for a moment, before his eyes bulged in realisation. Lukas grinned.

“I promised that the best ruler would rule Arendelle,” he told Aleksander playfully. “I never said it was you, my friend. After all, think about it. You’re jealous, selfish, and care only for power. Elsa on the other hand – she’s courageous, cares for others, and worries about the consequences of her actions. Which one sounds more like a good monarch to you?”

Lukas straightened, and turned to face Elsa, smiling. His eyes were dark and gleaming, and that was when Elsa finally put it all together.

“Lukas,” she murmured. “Sky Walker. _Loki._ You’re _Loki._ ”

Loki smirked, and gave a small bow.

“Well done, your Majesty. I wondered when you’d figure it out.”

“Wait,” said Anna. “This guy is the god of chaos and trickery?”

“And irony,” Loki agreed, teeth flashing in a smile.

“This was all some kind of _trick?_ ” Elsa spat.

Loki shrugged.

“Sure. Why not? I mean, it took care of two things at once – one, it got rid of Aleksander, who frankly has always been trouble, and two, gave the strongest sorceress I’ve seen in centuries a chance to bloom. So as far as I’m concerned, things worked out great.”

“This was about me using my powers?” Elsa asked. “Why do you care?”

Loki tsked.

“Because if you’d spent the rest of your life in fear of your magic then frankly, it would have been an enormous waste. Powers like yours are a gift that shouldn’t be wasted, and the way that you were so terrified of yours was tragic. Now? Now you’ve got a good start on controlling your powers, and I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but since you started using your magic properly, you haven’t had one of your little panic attacks.”

Elsa realised that he was right. Even facing Aleksander, she’d felt confident in he abilities, in stark contrast to how she had felt before.

“But what about when we go home?” Anna piped up. “I mean – she can’t use her magic there. Can she?”

Loki raised an eyebrow. 

“Why not?”

“But the people…” Elsa started.

“Will take their cue from you,” Loki advised. “Act like your magic is no big deal, use it to help people – you’ll be surprised at the effect it has. And besides, you’re their queen, remember? Most people are glad to have a strong monarch who can protect them, and _you,_ you Majesty,” he tapped the end of Elsa’s nose, much to her indignation, “definitely fit the bill.”

“Now,” he clapped his hands together, “why don’t we send you home, hmm?”

There was a swirl of magic that engulfed Elsa and Anna, and when it cleared, they were standing in the courtyard of the castle back in Arendelle.

“Wow,” said Anna. “So, that happened.”


	4. Epilogue

Elsa turned to hug her sister tightly. Anna looked surprised, but returned the hug gladly.

“I was so worried,” Elsa told Anna. “I was so afraid that he might hurt you.”

“I’m fine,” said Anna. “See? You came to rescue me just in time. Thanks for that, by the way.” She hesitated, before asking, “The sorcery… is that why you, you know, shut me out?”

Elsa could only nod sadly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Anna asked, looking a little hurt. “I understand that you must have been scared, but I wouldn’t have told anyone…”

“It wasn’t that.” Elsa shook her head. “You don’t remember, but when we were little, I used to use my magic all the time. You thought it was amazing.” Elsa smiled a little at the memory, before her face fell. “And then one night, I almost killed you.”

“What?!” Anna exclaimed. “Why don’t I remember?”

“Mama and Papa took you up into the mountains, to see the trolls,” Elsa explained. “They were able to help you, but they had to remove all your memories of my magic. After that, I didn’t dare play with you, in case I hurt you again. And my magic kept growing stronger and stronger, until I couldn’t control it.” Elsa reached out, and brushed her fingers along the white streak in Anna’s hair. “You weren’t born with this white streak. It happened the night of the accident.”

“So all this time, when you shut me out, and refused to even talk to me… you were trying to keep me safe?” Anna looked on the edge of tears. “Oh, Elsa.” She flung her arms around her sister, and the two young women hugged again. “I didn’t know.”

“You were never supposed to know,” Elsa murmured. “My powers were too unsafe.”

“About that,” said Anna. “You seemed to be controlling them just fine against Aleksander.” She shuddered.

“Lukas – I mean, Loki – taught me a few things on the way while we were rescuing you,” said Elsa. “Mama and Papa meant well, but they didn’t know anything about magic. Loki did, and was able to show me how to control it better.”

“So your magic is safe, now?” Anna asked hopefully. “You don’t need to hide away anymore? We can open up the gates and let people inside the castle, all the time?”

“Well…” Elsa hesitated, and thought about her magic. It was perfectly settled for the first time in forever, and after everything that had happened Elsa was confident in her ability to control it, even if it started to become agitated. “I don’t see why not.”

“Yes!” Anna cried in joy.

“I’ll make an announcement,” Elsa promised. “But first, we need to let everyone know that you’re back, and that Aleksander was defeated.”

“Then let’s go!” Anna pulled on her sister’s arm, and Elsa let herself be dragged towards the castle.

* * *

The news that Anna was safe and that Elsa had vanquished Aleksander was received with relief and celebration by the townsfolk and guests alike.

“But how?” asked one of the guests, a prince from the Southern Isles. “Not that I doubt you, your Majesty, but how could you possibly hope to defeat a sorcerer all by yourself?”

Elsa took a deep breath, readying her courage. Now was the moment of truth.

“Because I, too, am a sorcerer,” she announced, and conjured a swirl of snowflakes above her palm.

A hush fell as everyone stared at the manifestation of Elsa’s power. The prince of the Southern Isles looked greatly taken aback. 

“I have spent years learning to control my abilities, so that no one would be hurt by my magic,” Elsa announced. “I give you all my word that I will never use it to harm anyone in my kingdom, only to protect us all.”

“Lies!” shrieked the Duke of Wesselton. “Witchcraft! Sorcery! She should be–”

“Oh, be quiet,” the French ambassador told the Duke impatiently. He turned to Elsa, and bowed. “Arendelle is lucky indeed to have a powerful queen such as yourself to protect it, your Majesty.”

Elsa smiled at him.

“Thank you.” She looked back at all the gathered people. “But now that I have learned to control my power, there is no reason for the castle to be shut up, as it was in the past. From this day henceforth, the castle gates shall remain open, except in times of danger.”

A cheer went up, and Elsa exchanged a pleased glance with Anna.

“Long live Queen Elsa!” someone shouted, and the cry was taken up by others. “Long live the Snow Queen!”

There was a flash of fiery red out of the corner of Elsa’s eye, and she quickly looked around, to see Loki standing near the far wall and grinning. He gave Elsa a quick thumbs up, before he vanished.

Elsa smiled. It looked like things would work out, after all.


End file.
